Avangard Dark Munich - Fruity Flavor?

[QuercusMax]

I've brewed two Marzens in the last few months using a recipe that's roughly the following:

37% Vienna
30% Pils
14% Light Munich
14% Dark Munich
4% Caramunich

OG ~1.057, FG ~1.013

All the malts are Avangard except the caramunich. I've brewed this recipe in the past using Durst malts and won two medals, using WLP838 and WLP833. Both of those were rich and malty, but also nice and lager-crisp.

My last two batches I've done using WLP029 (Kolsch) and WLP820 (Oktoberfest/Marzen), using the Avangard malts, which I've been using a lot because a) they're the cheapest base malts I can get and b) the LHBS 10 minutes from my house actually carries them (unlike Durst).

The two recent batches both have a fruity flavor which I was initially blaming on the yeast, in the case of the Kolsch yeast. But I've used that exact same yeast in a Kolsch, Cream Ale, IPA, and cider, and while they all have a slight, delicate, pleasant apple/pear ester in the background, don't have this fruity character I get in the two recent batches (both using the Avangard Dark Munich).

I can't quite describe the fruity character precisely - it's not a "light fruit" like apple/pear, but not a rich dark raisin/plum - somewhere in between.

Has anyone else tried this malt? Am I crazy for thinking it's the malt?

 

[Schmoltsbeer]

I had a similar experience when trying to recreate Zoiglbier from the recipe on BYO. I was using the Avangard dark Munich and had some wicked fruity flavors that I attributed to the yeast initially. In the end it the beer was good, but not what I was trying to create. I suppose I'm glad I'm not the only person with this experience. Maybe I'll try making it again with Weyermann's or some other brand.

 

[QuercusMax]

I can't speak to Weyermann's Dark Munich, but Durst's is very good - I used 100% of it for a Dunkel which was awesome.